The nurse+engineer as the prototype V-shaped professional

Background: Descriptions of convergence research include promises to solve complex societal problems, such as environmental determinants of health and social determinants of health, through the integration of diverse disciplines, such as nursing and engineering, to create novel frameworks, such as the V-shaped professional.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to define the nurse+engineer as a prototypical V-shaped professional.

Methods: Starting from a description of the I-shaped discipline of nursing and the I-shaped discipline of engineering, we follow an intentional pathway to define the concept of the nurse+engineer as a new V-shaped professional.

Findings: Examples of the nurse+engineer at the bedside and the nurse+engineer in the community are highlighted to support a theoretical definition of the V-shaped nurse+engineer.

Discussion: Implications of the nurse+engineer in the workforce and practical recommendations for training nurse+engineer professionals are provided to improve healthcare policy, practice, research, and education through scientific discovery and innovation.